Belated Nikon D7200 Review

[Peeb]

Sold my Fuji X-T20 (long story short: tho my nikkor lenses worked on it, I wanted AF and VR), and sunk the proceeds into a refurbished D7200. Main goal was to exploit my existing Nikon glass, and have a layout similar enough to my D610 that I wasn't constantly fumbling. Here are six shots from the last 60 days, followed by some analysis of the camera.

1. My best Bald Eagle shot to date:

His Highness by Peeb OK, on Flickr

2. Cityscape- who knew you could do this with a 'wildlife' camera?

The Phillips Tower- Downtown Bartlesville, OK by Peeb OK, on Flickr

3. Macro fun

Fork by Peeb OK, on Flickr

4. Some more wildlife

Goose in portrait orientation (self portrait) by Peeb OK, on Flickr

5. Female Cardinal- shot thru my window

Do NOT mess with Mama by Peeb OK, on Flickr

6. Eclipse last month
Lunar Eclipse with star filter added by Peeb OK, on Flickr

I was highly conflicted about going with this camera as opposed to a used D500. At least I was until the refurbished deal came out- I couldn't resist this camera at the discounted price.

I owned the D5500 a couple of years ago, and I must say that this camera is leagues above the still-nice D5500. The autofocus is much, much nicer, and the feel and heft of the larger D7200 is so similar the both my D610 and my F100 that I sometimes absentmindedly forget which camera I'm holding.

Once I got the back-button focus and other user-specific settings just the way I preferred, I was really content to own this camera. Not ecstatic- it wasn't a world-changing experience- it simply did precisely what I purchased it to do: capture really nice files at the higher pixel density of a crop-sensor camera. Incidentally, I don't know if it was senility or a different set up procedure, but it took me several tries to set this camera us to correctly back button focus. For a time, it would focus using the back button, and then re-focus when I pressed the shutter. Not a good thing when you focus-and-recompose. Finally got that hashed out.

Also, the ISO button is not in the same place as on the D610, and I finally gave up and simply mapped that function to the video-record button (that I never use). It still frustrates that I go to different places for that common function, but I can live with it. If I could reassign the video button on the D610 to be an ISO button, live would be perfect, but it's not possible so it is what it is.

Incidentally, after taking a few test shots (that I cannot now re-find on my crowded hard drive!), I pixel-peeped right after getting this camera and found that the cropped D610 images were at least as sharp, and perhaps a tad sharper, than the D7200 files- that was a surprise to me. Maybe calibration of the 200-500 with the D7200 would improve things a bit- but it's certainly good enough for my needs as-is.

If you are already a Nikon crop-body sensor shooter, this is the camera I suggest if you haven't the need for the D500, which is an expensive and heavy beast, but well on it's way to becoming a legend IMO, due to crazy good target acquisition, frame rate, reliability, and file quality. The D7200 is WAY less expensive, and only has very-good AF as opposed to astounding AF, but from all I read and see, the image quality is pretty similar to the D500 once you have your target in focus.

What about the newer D7500? That's a fine camera with the D500 sensor, but (sorry @Derrel ) I just don't like living with only one memory card, and I like the larger sensor (tho the tilt-screen on the D7500 would be handy!). Given the hundreds of dollars extra needed to go up to the D7500, I'm happy where I am.

Regrets: none.
Recommended: highly.

 

[DarkShadow]

All great Images peeb and review and really shows how good of a image maker the D7200 is photographer of course that makes it happen. Honestly the only reason i jumped over to the D7500 is the 8 FPS and the group focus, the tilting touch screen was not the deciding factor at all but using it much more then i thought i would, putting the camera down low to the ground with screen tilted up and just touch focus and takes the shot is pretty sweet. Sounds like you made a wise decision best of luck with it.

 

[Peeb]

All great Images peeb and review and really shows how good of a image maker the D7200 is photographer of course that makes it happen. Honestly the only reason i jumped over to the D7500 is the 8 FPS and the group focus, the tilting touch screen was not the deciding factor at all but using it much more then i thought i would, putting the camera down low to the ground with screen tilted up and just touch focus and takes the shot is pretty sweet. Sounds like you made a wise decision best of luck with it.

Forgot about the 8 FPS- amazing. Very sweet feature, but it’s that tilty screen that I really covet! Whether down low or up high, it’s just SO handy.

Happy shooting!

 

[otherprof]

Sold my Fuji X-T20 (long story short: tho my nikkor lenses worked on it, I wanted AF and VR), and sunk the proceeds into a refurbished D7200. Main goal was to exploit my existing Nikon glass, and have a layout similar enough to my D610 that I wasn't constantly fumbling. Here are six shots from the last 60 days, followed by some analysis of the camera.

1. My best Bald Eagle shot to date:

His Highness by Peeb OK, on Flickr

2. Cityscape- who knew you could do this with a 'wildlife' camera?

The Phillips Tower- Downtown Bartlesville, OK by Peeb OK, on Flickr

3. Macro fun

Fork by Peeb OK, on Flickr

4. Some more wildlife

Goose in portrait orientation (self portrait) by Peeb OK, on Flickr

5. Female Cardinal- shot thru my window

Do NOT mess with Mama by Peeb OK, on Flickr

6. Eclipse last month

Lunar Eclipse with star filter added by Peeb OK, on Flickr

I was highly conflicted about going with this camera as opposed to a used D500. At least I was until the refurbished deal came out- I couldn't resist this camera at the discounted price.

I owned the D5500 a couple of years ago, and I must say that this camera is leagues above the still-nice D5500. The autofocus is much, much nicer, and the feel and heft of the larger D7200 is so similar the both my D610 and my F100 that I sometimes absentmindedly forget which camera I'm holding.

Once I got the back-button focus and other user-specific settings just the way I preferred, I was really content to own this camera. Not ecstatic- it wasn't a world-changing experience- it simply did precisely what I purchased it to do: capture really nice files at the higher pixel density of a crop-sensor camera. Incidentally, I don't know if it was senility or a different set up procedure, but it took me several tries to set this camera us to correctly back button focus. For a time, it would focus using the back button, and then re-focus when I pressed the shutter. Not a good thing when you focus-and-recompose. Finally got that hashed out.

Also, the ISO button is not in the same place as on the D610, and I finally gave up and simply mapped that function to the video-record button (that I never use). It still frustrates that I go to different places for that common function, but I can live with it. If I could reassign the video button on the D610 to be an ISO button, live would be perfect, but it's not possible so it is what it is.

Incidentally, after taking a few test shots (that I cannot now re-find on my crowded hard drive!), I pixel-peeped right after getting this camera and found that the cropped D610 images were at least as sharp, and perhaps a tad sharper, than the D7200 files- that was a surprise to me. Maybe calibration of the 200-500 with the D7200 would improve things a bit- but it's certainly good enough for my needs as-is.

If you are already a Nikon crop-body sensor shooter, this is the camera I suggest if you haven't the need for the D500, which is an expensive and heavy beast, but well on it's way to becoming a legend IMO, due to crazy good target acquisition, frame rate, reliability, and file quality. The D7200 is WAY less expensive, and only has very-good AF as opposed to astounding AF, but from all I read and see, the image quality is pretty similar to the D500 once you have your target in focus.

What about the newer D7500? That's a fine camera with the D500 sensor, but (sorry @Derrel ) I just don't like living with only one memory card, and I like the larger sensor (tho the tilt-screen on the D7500 would be handy!). Given the hundreds of dollars extra needed to go up to the D7500, I'm happy where I am.

Regrets: none.
Recommended: highly.

Damn! Now I see the quality of shots I should be getting from my d7200! Very nice set and informative post.

 

[Peeb]

Damn! Now I see the quality of shots I should be getting from my d7200! Very nice set and informative post.

Ha ha! I've seen your stuff. You gots the chops, bro. Thanks for the kind words.

 

[Jeff15]

The Nikon D7200 was my last heavy camera, I loved it. Nice shooting.

 

[Fujidave]

If you are happy with the new camera then great. A cracking set of images with the second being my favourite.

 

[astroNikon]

Great images.
Shows that it's not the camera, but the person behind it that is more important.

having all that nikon glass too keeps one in the nikon camp. That's where I'm still at. Glad you found a camera body to go along with your FX.

 

[Peeb]

If you are happy with the new camera then great. A cracking set of images with the second being my favourite.

Gotta say- but for my lens investment I would’ve kept the xt20 and added an x-t3.

 

[Peeb]

Great images.
Shows that it's not the camera, but the person behind it that is more important.

having all that nikon glass too keeps one in the nikon camp. That's where I'm still at. Glad you found a camera body to go along with your FX.

Thanks! I’m momentarily pleased. OK, the moment has passed. Waiting on refurbished Z6 opportunities now...

 

[astroNikon]

Great images.
Shows that it's not the camera, but the person behind it that is more important.

having all that nikon glass too keeps one in the nikon camp. That's where I'm still at. Glad you found a camera body to go along with your FX.

Thanks! I’m momentarily pleased. OK, the moment has passed. Waiting on refurbished Z6 opportunities now...

lol . I'm waiting for the Refurb'd Z6s and some new mirrorless DX camera too.

 

[RowdyRay]

Nice review and images, Peeb. It's a great wildlife camera. I've seen the images it can produce. Have a friend that's using one now and another that sold his to upgrade to the D500. Almost jumped ship over this camera. BOTH tried hard to convince me to buy one when I decided to upgrade. Just wasn't practical in the end.

Good luck, can't wait to see what YOU can do with it.

 

[Strodav]

Since I bought a new D7200 a few years back, I picked up a used D500 and new D850. I love the D7200 so much, I didn't have the heart to sell it. It is a jack of all trades camera. It might not be as good as the D500 at birding or sports, or as good as the D850 for portraits and landscapes, but with good glass, the D7200 holds it own against all of them.